When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I ending up getting the sub and rear speakers in yesterday. I'm pretty sure i need to do a whole lot of messing around with the settings on my 500/5 because I thought after installing the fronts they didnt sound right, now with the rears in i can hear the rears about 10x more clearly than the fronts. This is comparing 100w RMS on Polk components in the front to 25w RMS Infinity Coax in the rear. I'll plan on spending more time screwing with the amp settings this week to see if i can work that out.
HU settings should have fronts set to HPF around 80-100Hz. Front channels on amp should have switch set to HPF and **** at or lower than HU setting. Make sure front amp channel gain **** is turned up at least half way.
If that doesn't work you prob have a connection or wiring wrong somewhere
I'll try that Mark, but i think it's all already set up like you just said.
I did mess with it this morning though and it seems that my problem is actually related to the input sensitivity "****." I think there is a chance the amp might actually be busted. When i move the input sensitivity around i can get popping and at some points i can get the front right speakers to sound good like they should, but not the front left. About to get in the car to drive home so will try some more.
This is a good idea if you're sure your settings are right. Start by doing the easy swap, front and rear RCA's at amp input. If problem stays the same, it's not the radio or RCA cables. Then swap the speaker wires at the amp outlet, if rears go dead and fronts come alive you know it has something to do with the amp. If front gain is up all the way and you still hear squat, amp is bad
i turned the input sensitivity up and it fixed the problem Is input sensitivity the same as gain? I did not see gain as an option on my front or rears, only my sub channel.
i turned the input sensitivity up and it fixed the problem Is input sensitivity the same as gain? I did not see gain as an option on my front or rears, only my sub channel.
yes, sens and gain are the same thing, different amps use different wording
Sorry to ask so many questions, but now that everything is installed correctly i figured some fine tuning couldn't hurt and that's one field i lack knowledge in.
So i have my Sub, my fronts, and my rears all with different parameters.
SUB:
1. So i have the RCA's coming from my head unit SUB channels to the left and right preamp output jacks (the RCAs on the left in the pic). Is that right?
2. Preamp Output Section Switch = Sub LP?
3. Infrasonic Filter Switch = Off?
4. Input From Switch = Ind?
5. Input Voltage Switch = Low?
6. Input Sensitivity - should i have this fairly high since its a 12w6v2, which needs a lot of power from the 250w it provides?
7. Sub LP Filter Switch = Off?
8. LF Boost - I think mine is about 7 (middle) right now. Thoughts? Whats the difference between LF boost vs Input sensitivity?
9. Filter Freq (hz) - I believe this is between 35 and 63 at the moment. Thoughts?
Rears
1. Freq Range Switch = 1x?
2. High-Pass Filter Slope Selection / Defeat Switch = Off?
3. Input Voltage Range Selector Switch = Low?
4. Input Sensitivity is about half right now
5. Ambience Mode Selector Switch = Off?
6. Filter Freq is set to about 75ish as the HU is set at 80. Sound correct?
7. F/R Input Mode Switch = 4ch
Fronts https://i.imgur.com/KX48vY5.png
1. Freq Range Switch = 1x?
2. Front Filter Slope Selection = 12db?
3. Input Voltage Range Selector Switch = Low?
4. Input Sensitivity is about 3/5 right now (going past 1/2 solved my earlier problem of not getting power to the fronts).
5. Filter Freq is set to about 75ish as the HU is set at 80. Sound correct?
7. Filter Mode (Off/Bandpass/High-Pass) = Off?
I don't know enough about all these options to know how to set them up correctly. I don't even know how it comes set from the factory as i bought it used. I'm guessing the way i set it up should be also somewhat based on what i listen to. I like hip hop, rock, reaggae for the most part - stuff like Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, The Black Keys, The Killers, Wiz Khalifa, Rival Sons, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rancid, Rebelution, etc. I do listen to a little bit of electronic stuff like Daft Punk or Afrojack here and there too.
HU sub outs should plug in to amp SUB INPUT jacks.
Preamp output doesn't matter, you aren't (shouldn't be) using it.
Input voltage depends on HU rating. look up HU RCA output voltage and instructions for amp. However, if you have it on low and you hear distortion with gain pot in lower half of adjustment, try it on hi. This should be the same for all three.
Input sens - later....
Turn LF boost down to 0 for now.
Put filter freq around 80-100, can be adjusted to taste later, but try to match what HU sub setting is at if you can.
Rears:
Freq x1, filter slope 24, filter freq 100 or higher, I'd prob try 120+ to start (this will keep low freq signals meant for the sub from distorting the rears)
Fronts:
Same as rears, but put filter freq at same as sub.
To set input sens pots (gain)...
Download some test tones from the net, find some around 50Hz, 100Hz, 500Hz, a few thousand (whatever is available with a quick google search).
Put HU EQ settings on FLAT for now, adjust them to taste after all speakers are set properly.
Turn all gain ***** to 0. You can even unplug RCA's for speakers not being adjusted in each step. It's best to do tuning with the trunk closed so sub can be reflected into cabin.
Play the 50Hz tone on a repeat loop (easiest with an ipod), turn HU volume up to 75% of maximum, SLOWLY adjust sub gain up until you hear distortion (it should be obvious, sound goes from smooth rumble to an obviously not good scratchy sound). Turn gain back down slightly below the distortion point. Make a note of this location, then return it to 0 or unplug sub RCA's.
Play the 500Hz tone, volume to 75%, adjust front gain pot up to distortion point, then back down a bit, mark setting and go to 0 or just unplug front RCA's.
Keep playing 500hz tone, repeat for rears.
When rears are set turn radio volume down, plug in all cables and put settings at marked points.
Play 80/100/120 hz tones. Adjust sub and/or front freq ***** until you think sound is not being played by both speakers (if speakers overlap too much you'll hear louder tones in the overlapping range). this can be done later also.
With all speaker at just determined settings, play music that you are very familiar with. Turn volume up and see if any one speaker is overpowering the others, if it is turn that one's gain **** down until it sounds good (remember that your marked points from above procedure are the MAXIMUM you should ever have the pots).
You can tweek the sub boost at the amp, or if your HU has settings I'd just leave amp alone and use HU unless you feel sub is weak on all music.
If rears overpower fronts more than you like, just turn the gain down a bit on the rears.
If weakest channel is the sub (not likely) turn down front and rear gains evenly until sub blends well.
That's just an abbreviated version of an easy way to get the amp set up properly. Once you're at the point where the equipment is able to give you all it can without risking damage, then you can fine tune to your taste with EQ/boost/fade on HU
I didnt end up try turning it up past 0, but the bass was plenty without it.
Originally Posted by markcz
Put HU EQ settings on FLAT for now, adjust them to taste after all speakers are set properly.
I ended up liking flat bettery than everything else after the tuning.
Originally Posted by markcz
Play the 50Hz tone on a repeat loop (easiest with an ipod), turn HU volume up to 75% of maximum, SLOWLY adjust sub gain up until you hear distortion (it should be obvious, sound goes from smooth rumble to an obviously not good scratchy sound).
I was not able to find a level of distortion on my speakers or my sub. I was able to keep the volume high and the input sensitivity high and it was still clear, but would just get super loud. I ended up keeping everything around about 50-65%.
Originally Posted by markcz
Play 80/100/120 hz tones. Adjust sub and/or front freq ***** until you think sound is not being played by both speakers (if speakers overlap too much you'll hear louder tones in the overlapping range). this can be done later also.
I'm pretty sure this ended up being spot on. I could really hear the majority of the bass coming from the sub, and then a good fill of bass coming from the front woofers.
Originally Posted by markcz
If weakest channel is the sub (not likely) turn down front and rear gains evenly until sub blends well.
You were definitely right when you said this. My sub is a lot more powerful than i even thought. The 50hz test was so loud i was worried it was going to bother my neighbors.
Thanks for the help, i think it sounds so much better. To me it just sounds cleaner if that makes sense.
Here are a few pics i snapped last weekend when i was drilling the tweeters into the door handles.
fronts
rears
Head unit
Bluetooth mic (sorry pic didnt come out so great)
The sub is probably the most fun thing to look at because i ended up mounting it inverted. I'll add a pic of that soon.
I've gotta say, after the fine tuning it sounds awesome. I'm so glad i did it and was able to fix the climate control display and the HUD at the same time.
I ended up liking flat bettery than everything else after the tuning.
You're listening to it the way it was recorded
Originally Posted by AParsh
Thanks for the help, i think it sounds so much better. To me it just sounds cleaner if that makes sense.
No problem
Originally Posted by AParsh
I've gotta say, after the fine tuning it sounds awesome. I'm so glad i did it and was able to fix the climate control display and the HUD at the same time.
Just did my Kenwood KDC-X500 Single Din Radio install and learned a few things that might help others.
This is taking into account that the answers, directions may have been there all along but I may have missed them, not understood them or whatever the case was.
When you get the mounting kit that converts the 1.5 din opening down to a single, you cut the middle spider looking structure out of it to make room for the metal install tray and radio. This was self-explanatory but I did pause for a second. I used a pair of wire snips to do this followed by a flat metal file to make it smooth.
The hardest part of the install for me was securing the metal install (mounting) tray into the plastic converter kit (1.5 din to single din). I could not get the damn tray to stay still and there was always play no matter how many pins I folded, pushed or pressed in. I finally resorted to gorilla tape along the bottom portion of the metal install tray and up under the opening (used to place your cell phone or anything thin enough to fit into it after the install) in the plastic converter.
The second part was finding that blasted yellow wire in the passenger footwell. In the pictures I could see where it was but it was so tucked up in there, I was afraid that mine wasn’t just lying there (like it ultimately was) but somehow attached and me pulling on it was going to do some major damage to whatever I thought it was plugged into. After I put my fears aside and pulled down and out on the wires in that area there indeed were three wires that dead ended, wrapped in electrical tape AND one was the famous and elusive yellow wire.
I took another poster's advice and used the handle end of hammer and pushed in on the OEM bracket, at the rear (to move the bracket and grommet that fit the OEM radio, but will not allow the new radio to go in all the way with all those wires etc.) of the radio compartment, just bending it back a bit.
The antenna kit made sense when I saw it and the roemvet1 was a bit of a scary sight at first but once you lay it out, it all made sense.
Thank you Dennis for the updated kit (with the long red wire and not having to splice anything but that one wire) Basically a plug and play now that I look back.
Other keywords: Double-din single-din instructions
06-30-2014, 12:43 PM
Is input sensitivity the same as gain? I did not see gain as an option on my front or rears, only my sub channel.
yellow wire in the passenger footwell. In the pictures I could see where it was but it was so tucked up in there, I was afraid that mine wasn’t just lying there (like it ultimately was) but somehow attached and me pulling on it was going to do some major damage to whatever I thought it was plugged into. After I put my fears aside and pulled down and out on the wires in that area there indeed were three wires that dead ended, wrapped in electrical tape AND one was the famous and elusive yellow wire.